Direction indicator



June 11, 1935. J. 1. TROTTER ET AL DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed May 26, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 moi/$40110- June 11, 1935.

J. L. TROTTER ET AL, DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed May 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LIOIZMZ. 1 02507 Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES l DIRECTION INDICATOR John L. Trotter and Virgil Hall, St. Louis, Mo. Application May 26, 1931, Serial No. 540,116

a signaling member, and a movable arm mounted within the signaling member, means being provided for oscillating the arm, to attract the attention of motorists driving near the vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide controlling means mounted on the steering wheel of the vehicle, thereby permitting the operation of the signal to control the signal, without the necessity of the operator removing his hands from the steering wheel.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a direction indicator, constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the indicator housing.

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the circuits leading to the motor and various lights of the indicator.

Figure 4 is a vertical the indicator supporting ing.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device comprises a hollow support 5 which is provided with a reduced portion 6 of a length to extend through the side of the vehicle body, which in the present showing is indicated by the reference letter A.

Securing members 1 are provided on the re duced portion, and act to secure the support 5 in position. The support 5 is substantially wide at its outer end, and is provided with a cut out porsectional view through arm and indicator houslower side thereof, the opposite end tion to accommodate the circular vflange 8 depending from the base of'the signal supporting post 9 that is provided with a bearing l0 nearits upper end, to support the shaft I l of the housing I 2, the shaft ll the bearing 10. 'Coiledsprings 13 and respectively connect with opposite sides of the vertical supporting post, near the base thereof, the

opposite ends of the springs beingse'cure'd to the inner end of the support 5, -by means of the plates l5. These springs l3 and M are normally under tension, so that when thesupporting post '9 is rotated about a vertical axis, these springs will act to return the supporting post 9 to its normal 4 position.

Secured to the shaft II is a collar 16 to'th'e up- .per side of which is secured. a coiled spring H, the spring being anchored within the post' 9; A coiled spring l8 connects withthe collar 1 6 at the of the spring I being secured within the post. Thus 'it will be seen that due to this construction, the shaft l l,

is held in balance, and that when it is rotated, to change the angle of the housing I2, the shaft will return to its normal position, when the knob l9, by means of which the shaft and housing are rotated, is released.

Secured to one side of light 20 ing, the

the housing I2, is a spotwhich extends forwardly from the houslamp of the spotlight being supplied with electric energy from a suitable source of supply, through the wire 2|, the circuit to the lamp being controlled by means of the switch 22 which is supported on the knob l9 to be engaged by the thumb or finger of the operator, so that when it is desired to move the housing to operate the spotlight, the lamp may be lighted. This housing l2 has its rear surface closed by means of the wire mesh material 23, so that the indicating arm 24 will be invisible in the daylight, unless the lamp, to be hereinafter more fully described, is lighted. Pivotally mounted on the shaft 24' supported within the housing, is an indicating arm 24, which arm is hollow and has cut out portions defining letters indicating the word left. A lamp 25 is mounted within the indicating arm 24 and projects light rays through the letters so that the letters will be clearly outlined. The outer end of the indicating arm 24 is closed by isinglass, so that light rays may be projected towards the curved end 26 of the housing l2. Formed at the inner end of the indicating arm 24 is a finger 21 against which the spring 28 engages, the spring being mounted on the lug 29, so that when the finger moves downwardly,

being 'rotatably mounted within its rear, surface formed with the spring 28 will be compressed to return the arm to its active position.

Mounted on the housing I2 is a motor 30 which includes an oscillating shaft on which the arm 3 I.

wheel 34 of the vehicle, so that the operator may by operating the switch, control the light within the arm 24. r

As clearly shown by Figure 4 of the drawings, the support 5 is provided with a depressed portion 35 defining a housing for the trouble lamp 36 which is formed with threads 31, to cooperate with threads formed in the-bottom of the depressed portion 35...The wire leading'from the source of electricity supply to the lamp 36, is in- ,dicated by the reference character 38 and is coiled around the base of the: depressed portion and held-in positionby means ofthe removable cup shapedmember 39 whichis held in position by meansoi the setscrews 40.. The referencejcharacter lldesignates a mirrorthatiis mounted onthe arm 42, thatextends through the bracket 43, .so that the mirror may .be adjusted vertically for theconvenience of the operator. 7 ,A, switch144 controls the circuit to the trouble lamp 36 and-may be disposed in any suitable place near the operator, so that the operator may have easy access thereto. x

, Fromthegforegoing,it;will-be obvious that due to the construction shown and described, the operatorof the vehicle may by pressing the switch 33 complete. the circuit to the lamp 25, illuminating the indicating arm 24, indicating to people approaching ,from the-rear, thatthe vehicle I Lu.

equipped with the indicator, is to make a left hand turn.

It will of course be understood that the switch 33 also controls the current to the motor 30, so that simultaneously with the operation of the motor, the lamp 25 will be lighted. Should it be desired to use the spotlight, the housing may be readily tilted in a manner as described, to

properly direct the light rays from the spotlight 1. In a device of the class described, a hollow support, a vertical supporting post, a circular flange at the lower end of the supporting post and fitted in the hollow support, holding the supporting post in an upright position, spring members connected'to the opposite sides of the supporting post and adapted to hold the supportingpost in a predetermined position, a signaling housing mounted at the upper end of the ,post, and signaling means within the signaling housing, I I

, 2.- ;In-a device of the class described, a support ing .post, a signalhousing mounted for rotary post, a wall closing the vfrontend of the signal housing, a wall of wire mesh material closing the rear side of the'signal .housing, 'a movable signal arm ,within the signal-housing and means for illuminating thesignal arm.

3. In a' signaling device of'the class described, a supporting post,.a. signal housing mounted at the upperendof the supporting post, a signaling arm, pivotally mounted within the signal housing, an arm within the signal housing and engaging one end of the signaling arm for swinging the signaling. arm in one direction, a coiled springqengaging the signaling arm for moving the signaling'arm-in the opposite direction, and means for illuminating thesignaling arm.

' .zJOHN L.:TROTTER.

'VIRGIL HALL.

movement at the upper end of the supporting s25 

